Rule Of Tree - All PostsA Stanford Cardinal Fan Communityhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52622/rot_fav.png2017-09-26T04:27:29-07:00http://www.ruleoftree.com/rss/current/2017-09-26T04:27:29-07:002017-09-26T04:27:29-07:00A Brief History of Stanford-Arizona State
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gH8tGjD8psyKprBLEpDtKK5WthQ=/0x50:3000x2050/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56854997/461398883.0.jpg" />
<p>Looking back at the history between Stanford and Arizona State.</p> <p id="UKsg3I">Welcome to A Brief History of Stanford-Arizona State. I’ll be looking back at all of the ups and downs of this PAC-12 series from its beginning right up to the present day.</p>
<p id="AQfAYA">The Arizona State football program began in 1897 before Arizona was even a state. The Tempe Normal School played one game, a 38-20 loss to the Phoenix Indians. It was an inauspicious start, but eventually the program would flourish. In 1902, the Tempe Normal played their first game against the University of Arizona, igniting their biggest rivalry and starting a partnership in athletics that continues to this day. Tempe Normal went through a series of names and mascots, including the Tempe Normal Owls and Tempe State Bulldogs before the school was named Arizona State in 1929 and the nicknamed the Sun Devils in 1946. By this time, Arizona State was playing football in the Border Conference, home of Arizona, Northern Arizona, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Texas Tech, UTEP, West Texas A&amp;M, and Hardin-Simmons University. The winner of the conference usually hosted the Sun Bowl. </p>
<p id="mnoNRL">Arizona State hired Dan Devine to lead the team for the 1955 season. Devine turned the Sun Devils into the best team in the region by his third year. ASU went 10-0 in 1957 and finished 12<sup>th</sup> in the final AP Poll. Devine parlayed this success into a coaching job at Missouri, and eventually Notre Dame. He was replaced by Frank Kush, who would bring the Sun Devils to even greater heights. Arizona State was one of the most successful programs in the Border Conference, winning seven league titles (second most to Texas Tech) including the conference championship in their final year of play.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RxNsrKAsBMOU1osYXX0tfQ72TAs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9318473/Frank_Kush.jpg">
<cite>Sun Devil Athletics</cite>
<figcaption>Frank Kush: ASU’s winningest coach and the architect of their move to the PAC-10.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="8Gc4QA">The Arizona universities were getting too big for their home, and they met with members of the Skyline Conference and PCC with the hopes of creating a new league. In 1962, Arizona, Arizona State, New Mexico, BYU, Utah, and Wyoming formed the Western Athletic Conference. It took ASU a while to get acclimated to the tougher competition, but when they did the Sun Devils became a powerhouse. In 1969, Frank Kush’s Devils won their first WAC championship. It would also be the first of five straight league titles. In 1970, ASU went 11-0, with a win over North Carolina in the Peach Bowl. The next season, the WAC (which now included Colorado State and UTEP) created the Fiesta Bowl to serve as a showcase of their annual champion, which the league felt wasn’t getting enough opportunities in the larger end-of-season bowl games. It was serendipitous timing for Arizona State.</p>
<p id="K1ycCC">ASU played in and won the first three Fiesta Bowls. During those seasons, the Sun Devils climbed as high as 6<sup>th</sup> in the final AP Polls. It was a huge leap for what had been considered a small-time program. 1975 was the peak of ASU football under Kush. The Sun Devils went undefeated again and finally hosted a true blue blood in the Fiesta Bowl. 11-0 ASU faced off against 10-1 Nebraska. The Sun Devils edged by the seventh ranked Cornhuskers 17-14 and would end up 2<sup>nd</sup> in the final AP Poll behind 10-1 Oklahoma. It was clear that this was as high as anybody was willing to rank Arizona State. As long as they were in the WAC they would remain just another mid-major program, no matter how successful.</p>
<p id="zav7IG">Both Arizona universities again were outgrowing their conference. The state of Arizona itself was rapidly outpacing their neighbors and that influx of people and money began to be reflected on the football field. Arizona and Arizona State (though mostly ASU) won the WAC in eight of their last ten years in the conference. In 1978, both schools once again left the league they founded for greener pastures. The pair joined the PAC-8, which would then be known as the PAC-10, finally bringing Arizona State to the top flight of college athletics.</p>
<p id="ZLQ14l">This finally brings us to Stanford’s involvement with Arizona State. Prior to ASU joining the league, the Cardinal had never played the Sun Devils in football. Generally, Stanford wasn’t much interested in playing schools from the WAC and preferred to tackle bigger name opponents in their non-conference slate. By the time Arizona State became a big brand in the mid-major world, Stanford was slowing down as a major program and was hesitant to play an upstart like ASU. The Cardinal struggled throughout most of the 70’s while Arizona State was garnering its biggest successes.</p>
<p id="Ssl04f">The teams finally met on the football field on November 11<sup>th</sup>, 1978. Both squads were playing well going into the matchup, Frank Kush’s team was 6-2 and hosting Bill Walsh’s 5-3 Cardinal. Stanford ended up with a 21-14 road victory. The Cardinal won the next season as well, and took a 2-0 lead in the series. By the end of the 1979 season, both Walsh and Kush were gone. Walsh had bailed for the NFL the previous season, and Kush would be fired in disgrace for tampering in an investigation that the university was conducting concerning allegations that he abused one or more of his players. Arizona State was left without the man who brought them from the Border Conference to the PAC-10 less than two years into their new home. Kush was, however, replaced by a man more capable than Walsh and Rod Dowhower were.</p>
<p id="dZp8RN">After skipping the 1980 season, the pair played again from 1981 to 1985. The Sun Devils ended up winning all five games. That has been the difference in the all-time series lead ever since. Stanford and Arizona State played infrequently until 1993. In the meantime, John Cooper brought the Sun Devils to their first Rose Bowl appearance and only Rose Bowl win before leaving for Ohio State.</p>
<p id="mkji3f">The series has been rather even ever since ASU won those five consecutive games over Stanford in the 1980’s. They more or less traded wins until Bruce Snyder’s Sun Devils won three in a row over Ty Willingham from 1996 to 1998, then Ty Willingham won three straight from 1999 to 2001. Dirk Koetter then beat Buddy Teevens’ Cardinal 65-24, the most lopsided score in the series. ASU won three in a row from 2006 to 2008 but Jim Harbaugh turned the tables in 2009 and 2010. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Pac 12 Championship - Stanford v Arizona State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7rL9f2KIgg36vYqCy7Hk9qpkXU4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9318483/461402667.jpg">
<figcaption>Stanford’s win over Arizona State in the PAC-12 Championship was the only time these teams played with the conference on the line.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="6Vow2h">Following the 2010 season, the PAC-10 finally expended for the first time since adding Arizona State. Stanford and ASU were placed in separate divisions and stopped playing annually. The first time they met after expansion was in 2013, when the Cardinal prevailed 42-28 in the regular season and 38-14 in the PAC-12 Championship Game. The championship game was Stanford’s most lopsided win in the history of the series. It was also the only time that both teams faced each other with the conference championship directly on the line. Arizona State won 26-10 in 2014, the last time these teams played each other until they meet in Stanford Stadium this coming Saturday. The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/arizona-st-sun-devils">Arizona State Sun Devils</a> lead the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> 17-13 in the all-time series.</p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/26/16359934/history-of-stanford-arizona-state-footballCameron Satterlee2017-09-26T04:26:29-07:002017-09-26T04:26:29-07:00Stanford Cardinal Basketball: Chasing Randle Podcast - E2
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/V6JE3kuE2mmbfrDsdj2nOv9Fsbs=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56854985/480190137.0.jpg" />
<p>Leading up to next season, we reflect on the 16-17 PAC 12 play</p> <p id="8RvBBJ">The college basketball season is less than 9 weeks away, and expectations on the Farm are higher than they have been for several years for <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> Basketball. Coach Haase, going into his second year at Stanford, is a big part of this. We discuss how the team fared in conference play during his first year, what we learned from it, and what we might expect moving forward. You can l<a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fchasing-randle-podcast" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">isten to the podcast on soundcloud here</a> or use the player embedded below. </p>
<div id="0PT9z5"><iframe width="100%" height="400" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?visual=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F343177228&amp;show_artwork=true&amp;=&amp;color=%2523ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true"></iframe></div>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/26/16337782/stanford-cardinal-basketball-chasing-randle-podcast-e2Grant Avalon2017-09-26T04:03:00-07:002017-09-26T04:03:00-07:00Stanford football 2017: Why I’m In Love With Bryce Love
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fek1frCMAm0fBXAI4b7GcSY_1Ko=/0x0:3684x2456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56845613/usa_today_10286719.0.jpg" />
<p>Bryce Love may be primed to take over the college football world. </p> <p id="9wInAB">Last summer, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> were headed into the 2016 season with running back <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/247584/christian-mccaffrey">Christian McCaffrey</a> coming off of a season that should have won him the Heisman Trophy after he broke <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/164309/barry-sanders">Barry Sanders</a>’ total yards record. While there were plenty of players to get excited about around college football, including <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/268920/christian-mccaffrey">McCaffrey</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/17652/solomon-thomas">Solomon Thomas</a> on the Stanford roster, I was hyped for two players: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/268916/bryce-love">Bryce Love</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/269937/bo-scarbrough">Bo Scarbrough</a>. </p>
<p id="T6WoF4">The hype behind Scarbrough was a fairly popular train to get on, since he was a huge running back with speed and set to take over for Derrick Henry. But Love was the back behind the stud McCaffrey, what could he bring to the table that McCaffrey did not?</p>
<p id="KBoWQv">McCaffrey was, and still is, an amazing hybrid player. The offensive weapon that can be plugged all over the place and can be relied on to make plays. While he was a good outside receiver, slot receiver, running back and return man what he was not necessarily a pure running back. From his first carry, I saw Love as the Cardinal’s pure running back, one that would churn out yards and play exceptional at his spot. Here is maybe a better way to think of it. Connor McGregor is an exceptional MMA fighter, with multiple belts in a dominant career. He is also a great boxer, with solid striking and possesses a good stand-up game. However, Floyd Mayweather is a truly elite boxer, with a now 50-0 record. McGregor can do a lot of things really well, but Mayweather is an out of this world boxer. McCaffrey can do a lot of things really well, but when it comes to pounding the ball on the ground and grinding between the tackles, Love is the man.</p>
<p id="AbZaiI">He would not necessarily be an elite X receiver, but he was going to hit the hole hard and fast, streaking down the field with an exceptional explosiveness that punished sub par open field tackling and bad angles of pursuit. His powerful frame, perhaps deceptively so, made things all the more difficult for defenders to contain love. </p>
<p id="7GFrdw"><strong>First Sight - </strong></p>
<p id="rHkSfX">November 7, 2015 Stanford was playing the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/colorado-buffaloes">Colorado Buffaloes</a>. On a mere three carries, Love went for 58 yards and a touchdown. He was explosive, shifty in space and a change of pace that could capitalize on a defense that spent all week preparing for McCaffrey. There it was, the moment when you saw the real flash of what the future held. But it was also alluded to the future of Love. In the game he had a 47 yard run. Two weeks later he had a 48 yard burst, in 2016 he had five runs of 30 or more yards an three of more than 50. Not only can he grind out a third and short, he can also explode for a big gain, out pacing defenders in open space.</p>
<p id="150Db0"> He ran with confidence and authority. Of course it was only three carries, and easy (for some) to overlook the potential as Buffs defense was already worked by McCaffrey (McCaffrey rushed for 147 yards and had passing touchdown). But that potential was there all the same.</p>
<p id="MDqFvd"><strong>The Love -</strong></p>
<p id="O4bRZd">The 2016 season rolled around and I published plenty of articles advocating that the backfield should be packed with two running back sets to put defenses in fits. The first few games gave him next to nothing, with 22 carries in five games. There was not much light for Love to work towards, then McCaffrey went down with an injury and the spotlight (and pressure) was on Love as he would have the bulk of the workload. He responded with 129 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame. His perfect mix of burst and power, combined with the shiftiness he showcased in the kick return game was put on the stage and he performed wonderfully. </p>
<p id="rMtTmz">McCaffrey eventually returned and while Love had solid production, getting over 70 yards in three of the next four games, Love had proven he was ready for the full workload. In the last game of the season, Love batted cleanup against Rice, rushing for 111 yards and a score on just seven carries. Then against North Carolina in the Sun Bowl, he once again stepped into the starting role for 164 yards from scrimmage and two scores. He proved he was an every down back. </p>
<p id="vgyqng"><strong>Right Here, Right Now - </strong></p>
<p id="PYaWF5">In the first three games of 2017, Love had already amassed 524 yards and four touchdowns. While the offense around him has looked progressively weaker over the last two weeks, Love has stayed a song center piece a spark of consistency. In the first three games he has rushed for 180, 160 and 184 yards. With longs of 62, 75, and 53 yards in each game. He is a back that can grind out yards, with home run speed. </p>
<p id="WvjlWP">On Saturday against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a> Love exploded for 263 yards and a touchdown on 30 touches. Love probably benefited greatly from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/279372/k-j-costello">K.J. Costello</a> entering the game and providing the Stanford Cardinal with an actual passing attack.</p>
<p id="jIyTzc">Love has gone from my favorite running back prospect, to the underrated second man, to one of the best backs in college football. I have never doubted him and love watching him play. This season, he is the best reason to watch Stanford football and it is crazy to think about what he could accomplish if the Stanford offense continues with the passing success they found Saturday night with Costello meaning the Cardinal will not be one dimensional and Love will not have to constantly run into the teeth of a loaded box. </p>
<p id="kE24UL"></p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/26/16336786/stanford-football-2017-bryce-love-cardinal-offenseCMolesky2017-09-25T10:30:02-07:002017-09-25T10:30:02-07:00All Hail K.J.
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-Y9ZHtxSxgy224sEGEZn6kh94LY=/0x0:4376x2917/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56841571/usa_today_10302192.0.jpg" />
<p>Is Costello the answer? All signs point to yes so far</p> <p id="aysRte">Last week, I wrote about <a href="https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/18/16322544/blame-for-stanfords-loss">how I'd gone to two straight losses and how David Shaw needed to try putting K.J. Costello behind center</a>, and I even said that if attended a third straight loss, I'd consider myself a jinx. However after <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/279372/k-j-costello">K.J. Costello's</a> game-changing performance, maybe my presence was more of a blessing.</p>
<p id="oQ8TZC">Chryst was struggling to spark the offense against a weak UCLA defense, and things didn't look good for the him and the Cardinal early on. Specifically, Chryst missed a wide-open <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/279395/donald-stewart">Donald Stewart</a> in the red zone, so Stanford had to settle for a field goal. </p>
<p id="RbTX9m">At first, the offense looked like nothing had changed after San Diego State as they were sluggish and predictable. But then, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/247577/keller-chryst">Keller Chryst</a> got drilled on a run, knocking him out of the game—and, as it turns out, probably the starting role.</p>
<p id="uRue45">Costello finally got his shot (after swapping a few series with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/136269/ryan-burns">Ryan Burns</a> ), and he impressed. He extended plays, found open receivers, and more importantly, brought life to Stanford's struggling offense.</p>
<p id="FBT2lM">In my opinion, the biggest difference between Chryst and Costello was mobility. Time and time again, Chryst got pressured and sacked, partly due to some early offensive line woes, but partly due to Chryst not finding receivers quickly enough. Meanwhile, Costello was decisive on short passes and used his legs to escape defenders and even ran in a touchdown, bulldozing his way to the corner pylon. </p>
<p id="NnJX9L">Ultimately, Costello didn't set fire to the stat sheet, but he did bring another dimension to the offense. The Stanford passing attack had been a non-factor in the past two weeks, but Costello made the Bruins respect Stanford's passing game. He completed 13 of 19 passes, threw two touchdowns, and ended with a 94.2 QBR.</p>
<p id="HVnaNq">Lastly, there's no doubt that Costello's performance had an effect an many facets of the game. With a new and improved passing game, Stanford wasn't as predictable, and the UCLA defense couldn't stack the box, which allowed <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/268916/bryce-love">Bryce Love</a> to collect an insane 263 rushing yards. </p>
<p id="3eG3KP">Yes, the Bruins' defense is pretty bad. They allowed almost fifty points against Texas A&amp;M and Memphis, but you have to give credit where credit is due. Headed into the game Saturday, no one would've expected Stanford to score 58 points with Chryst at quarterback, and Costello clearly helped mobilize an offense that was in the doldrums.</p>
<p id="0Iq4Jn">So just how <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/207905/kevin-hogan">Kevin Hogan</a> replaced <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/77849/josh-nunes">Josh Nunes</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/268887/keller-chryst">Keller Chryst</a> replaced <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/players/268882/ryan-burns">Ryan Burns</a>, it's now time for K.J. Costello to follow suit.</p>
<p id="Njn0fz"></p>
<p id="qAbmxc"></p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/25/16359562/all-hail-kj-costello-stanford-football-quarterback-uclacharliefoy2017-09-25T09:00:48-07:002017-09-25T09:00:48-07:00It’s a Love affair on The Farm
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/e1_cGmGm0rg1nRQ5OtHvahuVg90=/1045x178:3408x1753/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56841173/usa_today_10302184.0.jpg" />
<p>Stanford ﬁnally ﬁnds rhythm to their offense with sophomore QB Costello</p> <p id="QuFaZt">In terms of purely rushing the ball, junior tailback Bryce Love (30 carries / 263 yards rushing / 8.77 yards per carry / 1 TD) looks like the reincarnation of Christian McCaffrey for this Stanford offense. His speed is unquestionably elite, but Saturday night on The Farm, it was his vision and change of pace that broke the Bruins’ will.</p>
<p id="lGBm64">“Bryce (Love) is one of the best players in America,” Coach Shaw said of his star back. “There are not many guys like him.”</p>
<p id="BQRzyO">I would take that assessment a step farther to say that there is certainly no one else like him in college football today. Furthermore, like his good friend McCaffrey, some of his jukes in the hole remind me of the legendary Barry Sanders. Stanford fans are left to only wonder what could have been in losses against USC (17 for 160 / 9.4 ypc) and SDSU (13 for 184 / 14.2 ypc), had Love gotten more touches of the ball both rushing and receiving in those games.</p>
<p id="ojZp0B">By far the most mystifying statistic that I can provide on this year’s Cardinal team (2-2 / 1-1 PAC 12) up to this point, is quite simply, the fact that Bryce Love only has two receptions on the year. They need to get him much more involved in the screen and short passing game if they wish to maximize the potential of this offense going forward.</p>
<p id="gVGtxZ">Aside from Love’s outstanding performance, the biggest revelation from Saturday’s game was sophomore quarterback K.J. Costello, who entered the game after an injury to starter Keller Chryst in the ﬁrst quarter and provided the spark this Stanford passing attack had been so dearly missing. Over the ﬁrst few possessions following the injury, Costello and senior Ryan Burns traded series, in search of the right offensive mojo for the Cardinal.</p>
<p id="Tyuc56">Coach Shaw found that and a great deal more in Costello (13 for 19 passing / 123 yards / 2 TDs / 2 rushes for 15 yards / 1 rushing TD / 94.2 QBR) Saturday night under the lights of Stanford Stadium, and the sophomore only seemed to gain composure and calmness as the game wore on. On an emotional level, it seemed as though he brought a ﬁghting spirit to the offense, which had been lacking the past couple weeks—the energy on the field and sidelines was noticeable.</p>
<p id="puermh">Costello was a ﬁve-star recruit out of Coto De Caza, CA, and in high school he broke Carson Palmer’s all-time record for passing yards at Santa Margarita Catholic. For the Cardinal to keep it rolling this season, Costello must continue to be a key player.</p>
<p id="ZzruP5">His counterpart, perennial Heisman hopeful Josh Rosen (40 for 60 passing / 480 yards / 3TD’s / 2 INT’s / 65.7 QBR), had moments where he looked like he might take over the game single-handedly. Unfortunately for the Bruins (2-2 / 0-1 PAC-12), their other skill position players just made too many mistakes to win a tough conference game on the road.</p>
<p id="PvfneB">The entire Cardinal defense deserves signiﬁcant credit for this win as well, forcing four Bruin turnovers on the night, and blocking a ﬁeld goal that seemed to change the momentum in the contest. It was only ﬁtting that Stanford senior captain Harrison Phillips (3 tackles / 1 sack / 1 tﬂ / 1 FG block) was the one who busted through two interior lineman to get his monster paw on that kick, and the joyous reaction of his teammates to that remarkable effort said it all.</p>
<p id="8rakpj">Fellow All-American candidate junior safety Justin Reid (9 tackles / 1 INT / 2 PD) also had a big night against UCLA. Though he did miss an open-ﬁeld tackle downﬁeld for a long TD, his physicality in the box against the run, and his tremendous awareness of passing lanes again served Stanford well. Senior linebacker Bobby Okereke (8 tackles / 3 QB hurries) was another bright spot for the Cardinal defense, and seemed to be in the Bruin backﬁeld for most of the night.</p>
<p id="aWWr6M">Stanford hosts Arizona State on The Farm next Saturday, and with Costello now ﬁrmly entrenched as the starting quarterback, the Cardinal faithful have to feel good about their chances to turn this season around.</p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/25/16361200/its-a-love-affair-on-the-farmMax McArthur2017-09-24T01:33:46-07:002017-09-24T01:33:46-07:00KJ Costello leads Stanford to a 58-34 victory against UCLA
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YngCVh-UiavTEY4i9ARjcFaKUeI=/0x0:5472x3648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56827099/usa_today_10301982.0.jpg" />
<p>K.J. Costello and Bryce Love lead Stanford to an impressive victory against UCLA</p> <p id="QbmiEg">Yes, it is true. We all saw it coming. K.J. Costello is the answer to Stanford’s offensive woes. Costello went 13/19, throwing for 123 yards and three touchdowns. </p>
<p id="nHzVnJ">Bryce Love also had an amazing game. After being limited to just 13 carries last week, Love had 30 carries for a touchdown and 263 yards, nearly breaking Christian McCaffrey’s single game rushing yard record (284). </p>
<p id="4lZz6d">Stanford’s defense also helped secure the victory by forcing four turnovers.</p>
<p id="haaONV">Playing at home for the first time all season, Stanford looked to get back on track against the UCLA Bruins. Both teams needed this win badly as both were coming off losses last week. However, it was Stanford who came out on top, improving to 2-2 on the season and beating UCLA for the 10th consecutive time.</p>
<p id="yLdb07">Stanford started off the game looking sluggish offensively. To make matters worse, starting quarterback Keller Chryst exited the game due to a head injury after being decked by two Bruins defenders on a quarterback run. Chryst would not return for the rest of the game. With backup quarterback Ryan Burns unable to move the ball down the field, the redshirt freshman K.J. Costello took over. Playing just his second career game and with only nine passes under his belt, Costello came into the game looking nervous and rusty. As the game progressed, however, Costello looked like he could be Stanford’s quarterback of the future. </p>
<p id="oHJzDD">With the offense looking unreliable, Stanford’s defense had to do all they could to keep the Bruin’s elite quarterback Josh Rosen from racking up points. Stanford’s pass rush did a great job making Rosen uncomfortable, but Rosen was still able to find the endzone in the second quarter. After the touchdown, Rosen and the Bruins once again drove down the field, but Stanford’s defense kept them out of the end zone. Stanford then blocked UCLA’s field goal, causing the momentum to shift to Stanford. </p>
<p id="GKpEkZ">After the blocked field goal, everything seemed to finally click on both sides of the ball. Stanford’s defense forced turnovers while Costello, with the help of big runs from Bryce Love, was able to drive down the field, scoring 17 straight points and giving Stanford a 23-13 lead at halftime.</p>
<p id="COx3Ik">Coming back onto the field in the second half, the Bruins came back with a touchdown of their own. However, Stanford and Costello were able to quickly give an answer to UCLA. After a 43 yard run by Connor Wedington, Costello threw an impressive 15 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Trent Irwin. Then after Stanford’s defense forced a fumble, Costello and Love were able to drive the ball down the field. Backup running back Cameron Scarlett was able to score a touchdown by punching it in at the goal line. </p>
<p id="TMRFl4">While things were looking up for Stanford, not everything was going its way. Both of Stanford’s starting cornerbacks were forced to leave the game: Alijah Holder due to a questionable targeting call and Quenton Meeks due to an injury. At the end of the third quarter, Stanford was only up 37-27 after Rosen was able to take advantage of Stanford’s weakened secondary, scoring a 39 yard touchdown pass. </p>
<p id="lXEiok">After another Stanford touchdown, this time to tight end Dalton Schultz, Rosen and Bruins were threatening another massive comeback like they had done earlier in the year when they came back from a 34-point deficit against Texas A&amp;M. Even against Stanford’s defense, Rosen was able to drive the ball 75 yards down the field and score in under two minutes. However, any hope of a UCLA comeback quickly vanished as Bryce Love scored on a 69-yard touchdown on Stanford’s next possession to seal the game for the Cardinal. Stanford defeated UCLA 58-34.</p>
<p id="XAopUt">Stanford will look to continue their winning ways next Saturday against Arizona State University.</p>
<p id="DE2mur"></p>
<p id="FP9f8V"></p>
<p id="Z1kTnD"></p>
<p id="PXITYj"> </p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/24/16356246/kj-costello-leads-stanford-to-a-58-34-victory-against-uclaMatt Levin2017-09-23T23:20:08-07:002017-09-23T23:20:08-07:00Don’t Look Now! Bryce Love Is Now 22 Yards from Setting the Single Game Record!
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y16sDqIoxwfVwcD23DbGMY2Oqyk=/0x0:3460x2307/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56826751/usa_today_10301657.0.jpg" />
<p id="jMHK9b">Bryce Love is now 22 yards away from catching a record held by Christian McCaffrey for most rushing yards in a single game. After the most recent 69-yard run, Love is up to 262 yards for the game:</p>
<div id="oOQV24">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Love goes 69 yards for the Stanford TD <a href="https://t.co/nQcDuoeVBX">https://t.co/nQcDuoeVBX</a></p>— Stanford Fan (@StannyInDaHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/StannyInDaHouse/status/912541346732240896">September 26, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="jqqJTO">Stanford now leads over UCLA 51-34. Should Stanford seal the deal, it will be Stanford’s 10th consecutive win over UCLA.</p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/23/16356698/dont-look-now-bryce-love-is-now-22-yards-from-setting-the-single-game-recordMatt Vassar2017-09-23T23:07:05-07:002017-09-23T23:07:05-07:00Dalton Schultz Gets in on the Party!
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VH1sPMKgqfIVsxKBiGtO9lXxfFU=/0x423:2400x2023/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56826731/usa_today_10270965.0.jpg" />
<p>Another TD pass from Costello </p> <p id="HXc5GT">Touted TE Dalton Schultz just hauled in another TD pass. The catch was at first ruled incomplete, but Schultz was undeterred and signaled to his coaches his confidence that it was a catch. On review, the ball bounced off of Schultz’s giant forearm (and not the ground) before he reeled it in:</p>
<div id="3UVJqa">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Stanford's Schultz scoops pass for TD <a href="https://t.co/qJNrfLtTPB">https://t.co/qJNrfLtTPB</a></p>— Stanford Fan (@StanfordESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/StanfordESPN/status/912543747220561921">September 26, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="hI8CWi">Stanford now leads over UCLA 44-27, and draws ever-closer to its 10th consecutive win over UCLA.</p>
https://www.ruleoftree.com/2017/9/23/16356682/dalton-schultz-get-in-on-the-partyMatt Vassar